Ice-harvester.



-F. E. LAVERTY.

10E HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1909.

Patented June 21, 1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. E. LAVERTY.

10E HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1909.

. Patented J une21, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

anoentoz F. E. LAVERTY.

10E HARVESTER. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 16, 1909. 961,781 Patented June 21,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS LAVERTY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ICE-HARVESTER.

Y Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 21, 1910.

Application filed July 16, 1909! Serial No. 507,956.

tice to harvest the ice by the application of heat in some form to the cooling surface, such for instance, as the introduction of hot water or gas to the interior of the cross cutdevices, or, by the passage of a current of electricity through the cooling surface to effect the thawing of the film of ice at said cooling surface and thus ermitthe removal of the cakes or blocks 0 ice formed in the tank. Such a method of harvesting ice is not only expensive, but, by reason of the low temperature of the water in the tank, large quantities of heat units are absorbed and the water thus partially heated, has a tendency to melt the ice at the top of the tank with' the result that the efiiciency of the plant is materially reduced.

The object of the present invention is to obviate the heating of the water in the tank during the harvesting operation and con.- sequently increase the efliciency of the plant by coating the cross cut devices and other cooling surfaces with an application of parafiin, wax or similar substance, prior to the admission of the refrigerant to the cooling coils. y

A further object of the invention is to effect the fracture of the ice by the application of lateral pressure to the ice where the latter forms on the cooling surfaces, thus to efltect the ready removal of the blocks or cakes without the necessity of cutting the ice or heating said cross cut devices and.

cooling surfaces.

A further object is to provide a harvester including co-acting wedge-shaped separating members adapted to be positioned in the tank between the cross cut devices or partitions thereof and having their exposed faces covered with paraflin 0 other material to prevent adhesion of the ic thereto, means being provided for moving said members in opposite directions to dislodge the ice formed on the cooling surfaces.

' A further object is to provide improved means for suspending the cross cut devices or partitions within the tank, said cross cut devices serving to support the wedge-shaped separating members in operative position.

A still further objectof the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to-increase their utility, durability and eificiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

' Fora full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction andthe means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, 111 which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ice making machine showing the harvester constructed in accordance with m invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectiona view of the same; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one of the separating members removed from the tank, the co-acting sections comprising the to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved harvester forming the subject matter of the present invention, is shown by way of illustration in connection with an open tank ice making machine, in which 5 designates the water receiving tank or receptacle and 6 the freezing coils extendin longitudinally of the tank and connecte through the medium of couplings 7 .with. an inlet pipe 8 and an outlet pipe 9, there being suitable valves 10 arranged near each coupling member 7 for-controlling the flow of brine, anhydrous ammonia or other refrigerant through the freezing coils.

Disposed within the tank' 5 above the central-freezing coils 6, are longitudinal beams 11 having their opposite ends rabbeted at 12 to form seats for suitable plates 13 conlongitudinal edges of the si e walls 0 the tank, as shown. Extending laterally from I or similar material to prevent t the opposite edges of the longitudinal beams 11 are spaced pins or projections 14, from which are suspended the cross cut devices, indicated at 15.

The cross cut devices 15 are preferably wedge shaped in cross section and formed of metal or other suitable material, there being transverse pins 16 connecting the converging walls of the cross cut devices at theupper ends thereof'an'd adapted toorest on the pins 14 for supporting the members 15 within the tank 5, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. 7

The exterior or exposed surfaces of the cross cut devices 15 are coated or otherwise treated with an application of paraflin, wax or other suitable material to prevent the adhesion of the ice on said cross cut devices during the freezing operation and thus to permit harvesting of the ice and the removal of the cross cut devices without applying heat thereto for the purpose of thawing the thin film of ice at said cross cut devices.

Interposed' between the cross cut devices 15, on opposite sides of the longitudinal beams 11, are separating members 17, each preferably formed in two sections, the upper section of which comprises a transverse head 18 having spaced depending wed e shaped bars 19 secured thereto and gradually increasing in thickness vfrom the head 18 to the lower ends of the bars. The lower section 20 of each separating member is also provided with a transverse head 21 from which-depend a plurality of spaced wedge shaped bars 22 gradually decreasing in thickness from the head 21 to the lower ends of the bars 22, there being siiitable-openings 23 formed in the head 21 of'the lower separating section to permit the passage of the bars- 7 19 of the upper separating section.

' The bars 19 of the upper separating section and the bars 22 of the lower separating section,-v

are also coated .With a layer of 1paraffin, wax

' e ice adher- -i1ig thereto during the freezing operation. The opposite ends of the heads 18 of each se aratin member, are extended Ion ftudina 1 to orm' supporting lips 24 whic bear 1 against the, adjacent cross cut devices 15 and by. meansof which the upper section of each se arating'member is suspended within t e t member being retained in operative relation to the upper section thereof by set screws or similar fastening devices 25, the latter pose of moving said sections in opposite directions, thus to exert a lateral pressure on the 'ice'at the separating member and effect the fracture of the ice so as to permit the removal of the cakes or blocks from the The taper of the bars 19 is very gradual, said bars being preferably one-eighth of an inch thick at the head 18 and three-sixteenths of an inch thick at the terminals thereof,

while the upper endsbf the bars 22 are preferably' three-sixteenths of an inch at the head. 21 and one-eighth of ,ninch at the lower ends thereof. Thus it will be seen that when. e screw 26 is rotated, the upper section 17 ill move upwardly and the lower section 20 downwardly within the tank, thus to a sliglft degree increasing the thickness of the separating members and causing the lateral pressure exerted by the separating members to effect the fracture of the ice, in the-manner before stated. .Similar cross cut devices 27 are suspended from the side walls of the tank 5 and between which are interposed separating members 28 similar in construction to the separating members 17. If desired, suitable freezing plates may be interposed between the se arating members and the freezincoils 6, and in some cases, one or more p ates 'coveredwith paraflin, wax or the like,-may be positioned in the bottom of thetank to prevent the ice from adhering thereto during the freezing operation.

refrigerant is admitted to the freezing coils through the inlet pipe, and the freezing operation commences. After the ice is formed In operation, the cross cut devices 15, prein the tank 5, the operator rotates'the screws 26 with a suitable tool, thus forcing the upper and lower sectlons of each separating member in opposite directions and exertin -j a lateral pressure on the cake or block 0 ice adjacent said fracture the ice an permit its removal from ,thelower section of each separating the tank, this being readily accomplished sedparating member so as to.

inasmuch as the ice is already partly severed or fractured by the bars 19 and 20. By reason of the coating of paraflin or like substance on the cross cut devices and separating members, the ice is prevented from forming thereon so that the ready detachmentof the blocks of ice is effected without the application of heat in any form to the cross devices or separating members, thus'preventing partial heating of the water in the tank and materially increasing the efiiciency of the plant.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. Inan ice making machine, a cooling element, a separating member disposed at the surface of said cooling element, and means for varying the thicknesspf the separating member thereby to exert a lateral pressure on the ice.

2. In an ice makin machine, a cooling element having its surface coated to prevent the adhesion of ice thereto, a separating -member disposed at the surface of said cooling element and also having its exposed face coated to prevent ice adhering thereto, and means for varying the thickness of said separating member to exert a lateral pressure on the ice.

3. In an ice making machine, a cooling element, cross cut devices disposed at the surface of said cooling element, a separating member interposed between the cross cut devices and means for varying the thickness of the separating member, thereby to exert a lateral pressure on the ice.

-- 4;. In an ice making machine, a cooling .element, cross*"cut devices disposed at the "surface of said cooling element and coated with a compound to prevent ice adhering. thereto, and co-acting wedge shaped separat= ing members having a similar coating interposed between the crosscut devices and movable in opposite directions to exert a lateral pressure on the ice.

5. In an ice making machine, a tank, a

cooling element disposed within the tank, cross cut devices disposed at the surface of the cooling element, and co-acting wedge shaped separating members interposed between the cross cut devices.

6. In' an ice making machine, a tank, a cooling element disposed within the tank, cross cut devices extending laterally from the surface of the cooling element and having their exposed faces covered with wax, and coacting wedge shaped separating members interposed between the cross cut devices and also coated with wax. I

7. In an ic. making machine, a tank, a

{cooling element disposed within the tank,

cross cut devices extending fromthe surface of the cooling element, co -acting wedge shaped separating members interposed between the cross cut devices, and means for moving the separating members in opposite directions, thereby to exert a lateral pressure on the ice.

' 8. In an ice making machine, a tank, supporting beams carried by the tank and provided with suspension devices, cross cut devices depending from the suspension devices, and separating members interposed between the cross cut evices and having their exterior faces-provided with a coating to prevent the adhesion of ice thereto. 9. In an ice making machine, a tank, supporting beams carried by the tank, pins extending laterally from the supporting beams, substantially wedge shaped cross cut devices suspended from the pins and having their exterior faces provided with a coating to prevent the adhesion of ice thereto, and coacting wedge shaped separating members interposed between the crosscut devices and movable in opposite directions, thereby to exert a lateral pressure on the ice.

10. In an ice'making machine, a tank, a cooling element, a supporting beam disposed above the cooling element and provided with suspension devices, cross cut devices engaging the. suspension devices, and co-acting wedge shaped separating members interposed between the cross cut devices and movable in' a direction away from each other, thereby to exert a lateral pressure on the ice.

11. In an ice making machine, a tank, a cooling element disposed within the tank, a support arranged above the cooling element and provided with suspension devices, wedge shaped cross cut devices engaging the suspension devices, and a separating member interposed between the cross cut devices and including upper and lower sections having depending wedge shaped bars, one of said sections being provided with means for engagement with the other section, thereby to partially separate the sections and exert a lateral pressure on the ice. 7 12. In an ice making machine, a tank, a cooling element, and a separating member including co-actin wedge shaped sections movable vert'cally in opposite directions and having their xposed faces covered with wax. '13. In an e making machinef a tank, a cooling element, and a separating member disposed at the surface of said cooling elesection for the reception of the bars of the adjacent section, and means for separating said sections, thereby to exert a-lateral pressure on the me. i

15.'In' an ice making machine, a tank, a cooling element disposed within the tank, a

separating member including co-acting sec tions each provided with a head, and a lurality of de nding wedge shaped bars, ere being openin formed in the head of one section and a apted to receive the bars of an adjacent section, means for locking the sections in engagement with each other, and a screw carried by one of said sections and adapted to engage the head of the mating section for moving said sections in opposite directions when the locking members are released.

16. In an ice making machine, a tank, a

cooling element disposed within the tank, a 2o supporting bar arranged above the cooling element and provided with laterally extendlng ins, substantially wedge shaped cross cut evices having transverse pins for engagement with the pins on the su porting 25 In testimony whereof I afix my signature 30 inpresence of two witnesses.

FRANQIS E. LAVERTY, 1.. 5.

Witnesses:

Tnom F. DONOVAN, Enmn F. HUNT. 

